In a message dated 6/19/2002 3:26:40 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
cmursic@yahoo.com writes:
<< 2. I do not agree with the sentiment that the U.S.
community of patients will rise up in revolt and
demand greater continuity of care from their
physicians once these regulations are implemented.
After all, we are speaking of residents, not
attendings. The attending will most likely continue
seeing the patient and family every day (or more,
depending on severity/acuity) irrespective of which
resident team is on and what residents have been
dismissed home to comply with the 80 - hour /week >>
Caesar--
This is precisely my major problem with these "rules"--do you not see the
dramatic inconsistency in what you just said???? Yes--attandings provide the
continuity! Just as they always do. AND--the overwhelming majority of
patients in this country see fully trained surgeons--NOT residents. How is
THEIR safety being assured?--there are NO regulations on attending
hours--thus, obviously it is OK for them to be awake and fatigued without
limit or regulation. First--reconcile this glaring non sequitur for me???
Second--just when, exactly, is a surgeon-in-training supposed to learn
exactly how long it sometimes takes to care for patients--that there are
times when patient care may mean being up more than 36 hours at a stretch,
and more than 80 hours/week? The day after they finish their training?
Explain, please!
ERF